Pharmaverse Podcast

In this episode of Pharmaverse for MSLs, powered by Inside MSL, host Michael Pietrack speaks with Scott Conry, PharmD, about Medical Science Liaison career development, leadership readiness, and opportunities beyond people management. Scott explains why being a top-performing MSL doesn’t automatically prepare you to lead a team. Moving into management changes your daily responsibilities, your rela...

Can you build an ambitious career without sacrificing the life you love? And what separates a high-performing individual contributor from someone ready to lead? In this episode of The Pharmaverse Podcast, host Michael Pietrack speaks with Dr. Amama Sadiq about women in leadership, career growth in Medical Affairs, and building teams that help others succeed. Amama shares how her father shaped her...

Your MSL interview presentation reveals more than your scientific knowledge. It shows hiring managers how you communicate, handle pressure and build relationships. In this episode of **The Pharmaverse Podcast for MSLs**, host **Michael Pietrack** speaks with medical affairs consultant **Geeta, PharmD**, about three common mistakes candidates make during their final interview presentation—and how t...

In this episode of The Pharmaverse Podcast, host Michael Pietrack speaks with Rajat Mishra, co-founder and CEO of Present Vivo, about how AI is changing medical affairs, scientific content creation, and the future of the Medical Science Liaison (MSL) role. Rajat explains how AI can help teams turn a single publication into presentations, posters, brochures, and other materials more quickly. But sp...

Will artificial intelligence replace Medical Science Liaisons—or help them become more effective? In this episode of The Pharmaverse Podcast, host Michael Pietrack speaks with experienced Field Medical leader Annika Swenson about how MSLs and Medical Affairs teams can use AI responsibly, improve their performance and protect the human relationships at the heart of the profession. Annika shares pra...

Why do some leaders immediately earn trust while others struggle to make an impact? In this episode of The Pharmaverse Podcast, host Michael Pietrack speaks with bestselling author and influence expert Christian Hansen about the psychology of influential communication—and how leaders can become the obvious choice without dominating the conversation or sounding “salesy.” Christian explains why infl...

What separates a good MSL from a trusted scientific partner? In this episode of The Pharmaverse Podcast, Michael Pietrack sits down with Gerard Diesenroth, PharmD, a field medical leader with experience building high-performing MSL teams, leading MSL training, and supporting multiple drug launches. Gerard breaks down six common mistakes Medical Science Liaisons make—in KOL engagements, at medical...

Catch the latest Pharmaverse Podcast episode for expert insights on the pharmaceutical industry. Get clear perspectives on current trends. This episode features a focused discussion on key developments within the pharmaceutical sector. If you are looking for professional commentary and industry analysis, this conversation provides a direct look at the topics shaping the field today. We bring toget...

4 Strategies to Become an “Exceeds Expectations” MSL | Kathleen Frezza, PharmD What separates an MSL who simply meets expectations from one who consistently exceeds them? In this episode of The Pharmaverse Podcast, powered by Inside MSL, host Michael Pietrack sits down with Kathleen Frezza, PharmD, a Medical Affairs leader with more than 20 years of experience as an MSL, MSL manager, and scientifi...

Dr. Tania Small: Why Medical Affairs Is the “Special Ops” of Pharma What if Medical Affairs stopped being viewed as a “bridge” and started being recognized as an active force shaping drug development from beginning to end? In this episode of **The Pharmaverse Podcast**, host **Michael Pietrack** sits down with **Dr. Tania Small**, Senior Vice President and Head of Medical Affairs at Bristol Myers...

Starting a new Medical Science Liaison role? Your first 90 days can shape how your manager and team see you long after onboarding ends. In this episode of the **Pharmaverse Podcast**, host Michael Pietrack sits down with **Lee Ann McDowell, PharmD**, an experienced medical affairs leader with 15 years in industry, including 11 years as an MSL and six years leading MSL teams. Lee Ann shares **six p...

What does it take to become an exceptional leader in pharmaceutical and biotech organizations? In this episode of The Pharmaverse Podcast , Michael Pietrack sits down with Kim Tran, PharmD , Senior Vice President and Head of Medical Affairs, for a powerful conversation about leadership, resilience, trust, and creating cultures where people thrive. Kim shares the remarkable story of her parents esc...

Why do some leaders inspire high-performing teams while others unintentionally destroy motivation? In this episode of The Pharmaverse Podcast, host Michael Pietrack welcomes internationally respected leadership expert Conor Neill for a powerful conversation on leadership, communication, delegation, motivation, resilience, and building trust. Conor explains why leadership isn't about having al...

Leadership isn't about giving orders. It's about understanding your team, adapting your communication style, and creating an environment where people can succeed. In this episode of the Pharmaverse Podcast, Michael Pietrack sits down with Jonas Hylton, PharmD, Founder & CEO of Executive Biotech Advisors, to discuss the leadership principles he developed during more than 25 years in p...

n this episode of the Pharmaverse Podcast, Mike Banville shares powerful insights on what separates good leaders from exceptional ones. From executive communication to organizational culture, Mike explains why leadership isn’t just about vision, it’s about translating strategy into measurable execution. We explore why listening is one of the most underrated leadership skills, how successful leader...

In this episode of the Pharmavers Podcast, Michael Pietrack sits down with Kelly Gold, Chief Financial Officer of Camp4 Therapeutics, to discuss her unconventional path from mechanical engineer and competitive dancer to biotech CFO. Kelly shares how designing Biosafety Level 4 laboratories taught her to identify risks, eliminate single points of failure, and develop contingency plans that now guid...

What shapes a great leader? For Dr. Leslie Dennis, it began on the frontlines of Africa’s AIDS epidemic. In this powerful episode of the Pharmaverse Podcast, Michael Pietrack sits down with Dr. Eslie Dennis , Global Head of Medical Affairs at Kyowa Kirin, to explore a journey spanning medicine, leadership, resilience, and purpose. Dr. Dennis shares unforgettable stories from treating AIDS patients...

In this episode of the Pharmaverse Podcast, host Michael Pietrack sits down with John O’Donnell, VP of Global HEOR at Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, for a deep conversation on leadership, AI in pharma, hiring elite teams, emotional intelligence, and the future of healthcare innovation. John shares hard-earned lessons from decades in the pharmaceutical industry, including how great leaders make difficul...

Welcome to The Pharmaverse Podcast, where host Michael Pietrack interviews top leaders in the pharma industry. This episode features Alex Albuquerque, MD, PhD, a true star in the field. If you're passionate about healthcare and career growth, you're in the right place to learn from the best in medical affairs and biotechnology. What do wine, dog psychology, cancer survival, global leader...

In this episode of the Farm Averse Podcast, host Michael Petrarch sits down with Dr. Christiane Langer, SVP of Clinical and Medical Affairs at Secure Bio, for a candid conversation on what authentic leadership really means in today’s pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Langer shares why authenticity is often misunderstood, how vulnerability can build stronger teams, and why personal branding matters more...

In this episode of the Pharmaverse Podcast , we sit down with Heather Paprstein , Senior Director of Oncology Medical Affairs at Corsair Therapeutics, to explore what it truly means to lead with empathy in the pharmaceutical industry . Heather shares her journey from oncology nurse to senior pharma leader , and breaks down the practical leadership skills needed to grow teams, navigate medical affa...

What makes a truly great leader? In this episode of the PharmaVerse Podcast, host Michael Petrarch sits down with bestselling author Bob Burg, co-author of the global phenomenon The Go-Giver, to explore the timeless principles behind extraordinary leadership, influence, and success. Bob shares the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success—a powerful framework that has influenced leaders, entrepreneurs, a...

Join Michael Pietrack and Paul Ward, Executive Director of BeOne Medicines,, for a comprehensive Pharma Leadership Masterclass. This three-part series dives deep into the real-world leadership lessons Paul has learned over 25+ years in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. 📙In this video, you’ll learn: ▪️Early leadership experiences and lessons from sports and school ▪️Transitioning from pee...

Leadership Lessons from Pharma: Building High-Performance Culture, Curiosity & Collective Intelligence | Pharmaverse Podcast In this episode of the Pharmaverse Podcast, host Michael Petrack sits down with renowned medical affairs leader Dr. Toby Patterson, former SVP of Global Medical Affairs at Genentech and GSK, to explore powerful leadership lessons from pharma, sports, and life. They discu...

Join host Michael Pietrack on the Pharmaverse Podcast as he speaks with Dr. Kirk Shepard, Chief Medical Officer of PDS Biotechnology, co-founder of the Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS), and creator of the Oncology Voices Network (OBN). 📙In this episode, they discuss: ▪️The inspiration behind the Oncology Voices Network and its mission to unite cross-functional stakeholders in oncology....